Archive - Sep 2010

To the Editor,

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…” How many of us big and small, young and old, have recited these words?

Yet how many of us aspire to live up to the true meaning of these simple words?

Around midnight on the night of Aug. 27, we had our American flag, my husband’s Marine Corp flag and the spotlight we use for illumination vandalized by a group of youth in the Cobblestone subdivision.

In this day and age of heightened patriotism it is very disappointing that these children would choose this action as a way to “amuse” themselves.

My husband is a combat veteran, who proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corp fighting in Vietnam. It is his just right (like all Americans) to display his colors and fly them with pride.

May I strongly suggest if you suspect that your children might have been involved in this action that you take them for a visit or better yet have them volunteer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Ann Arbor for just one day. There they will see and experience first hand what it means to be a true American who loves his flag and country.

Shirley Sisty
Tecumseh

Not one team attending the Tecumseh varsity volleyball tournament on Thursday, Aug. 26, could match the intensity of the hosts with the Indians going undefeated at 6-0 to win the title.

Tecumseh downed Columbia Central 25-16, 25-14 to start the day in pool play. The Indians followed with a solid 25-14, 25-18 win over Riverview, the team that would advance to the final. Tecumseh finished out pool play with a 25-12, 25-15 win over Napoleon and a 25-11, 25-18 win over Summerfield.

Onsted faced the Indians in a semifinal and lost 25-21, 25-19. Tecumseh finished its tournament with a 25-9, 25-19 win over Riverview.

Kelsey Berrington had an outstanding day, recording 46 kills, 35 assists and 35 digs. She served 53-54 with 38 points and 11 aces.

Carly Tillotson added 58 assists and 20 aces while Sarah Sailus added 21 kills. Chelsea Hutchison finished with 28 digs; Jordyn Norkey, 15 kills and 26 digs; Hannah Galloway, 10 blocks and Gabby Nowak, 28-28 serving with six aces.

In its opening season match at Ida on Tuesday, Aug. 24, Tecumseh won 23-25, 25-21, 31-29, 25-14.

Berrington finished the day with 20 kills and 15 assists while Tillotson had 23 assists and served 23-25 with 13 points and four aces. Tecumseh’s Sam Diehl added nine kills; Hannah Galloway, four blocks; Sarah Sailus, three blocks; Chelsea Hutchison, 11 digs and 19-19 serving with 14 points and Norkey, 10 digs.

The Indians split at Bedford on Tuesday, defeating Monroe 25-17, 25-14, 25-20 but falling 16-25, 13-25, 22-25 to Bedford.

Berrington finished with 32 kills, 21 assists and eight aces while Tillotson had 34 assists and 13 digs. She served 29-for-29 with 18 points. Sailus had 13 kills and three blocks while Norkey had 14 digs.

By MICKEY ALVARADO

A pass interception inside Monroe Jefferson’s 10-yard line ended any chances for Tecumseh’s varsity football team to pick up an opening season victory on Friday, Aug. 27.

The Indians allowed the Bears to come from behind after sending their opponents to the halftime break down 14-7. Jefferson gained a 21-14 lead in the final quarter and the Indians frantically drove the ball to Jefferson’s 15-yard line with just 49 seconds remaining in the game but turned over possession on the next play.

The Indians mixed things up a bit more than in the past and scored the first touchdown of the game (9:36) on their opening possession. Tecumseh junior Austin Shartle broke free for a 53-yard run to the end zone and instead of attempting a two-point conversion as in the past junior Sam Davitt kicked the ball through the uprights and added just one point for a 7-0 lead.

The Bears answered right back, scoring their own touchdown with a one-yard rush by Bryan McCullough. He scored all three of the Bears’ touchdowns. Jefferson also opted for a Point After Touchdown (PAT) kick and tied the contest with 3:22 left in the first quarter.

Tecumseh junior quarterback Brad Vannatter threw his first pass of the season to sophomore John Terry and a completion set the Indians up on the Bears’ 22-yard line in the second quarter. On the very next play, Tecumseh fumbled the ball and the Bears recovered it on their own 25-yard line. The Indians shut the Bears down on the possession and then made good on their next offensive drive. Terry broke free from two left side defenders on a third down play to record a 43-yard touchdown run with 5:44 left in the first half. Davitt connected on the PAT kick and the Indians held a 14-7 advantage.

Bears coach Marc Cisco thought his boys basically gave the touchdowns to the Indians.

After reading recent comments to an article stating "Why has Tecumseh Posted the AD [athletic director] position when we all know who it is going to!" I thought I'd throw out my prediction as to who it will be - Jason Mensing - who else?

When Griff Mills was promoted to principal at Tecumseh High School I wasn't surprised at all. What did surprise me was the way I found out. It wasn't announced, at least to me, and was pretty hush-hush until someone let the cat out of the bag during a sports venue.

I like Jason Mensing, don’t get me wrong, but there may be other candidates who could do a better job, especially in an economy where there are probably a lot more prospects to check out. But, I really don’t think any one else but Mensing will get the job. We will see how prophetic I am won’t we?

Last weekend while attending a rather large party in Ohio I ran across someone who I didn’t recognize but had to meet. The guy had huge hands and each sported a World Series Championship baseball ring, the same ones that are on Big Popi’s hands.

Turned out the decked out dude was a groundskeeper for the Boston Red Sox and when they won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 he was rewarded with a ring just like the players and coaches.

Talk about some sweet bling. The ring on his right hand had a pair of red socks crafted out of rubies mounted on a diamond base crest depicting a baseball diamond. The diamond base crest is inlaid with fourteen diamonds. The baseball diamond overhangs an inner bezel and is set on a field of four custom faceted synthetic blue sapphires.

The billboard-sized ring on his left hand had the letter B in its center, also crafted from rubies, and diamonds everywhere around it.

I hung out with the guy for a little while and even tried to get him outside for a chat in a nearby alley but to no avail.

I never knew that the supporting staff of a Major League Baseball team also gets rings when the team wins the World Series. I’m going to have to apply with the Yanks so I can get my hands on one in the future. I’d make for one heck of a ticket taker or groundskeeper knowing I had a chance to get a ring like that!